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Lesson Plan for Teachers

 Review course lesson 9 

Students explore and discuss organization, presentation styles and content focus of product reviews. In relation to language learning, the exposure to the videos in the lesson is designed to practice and developing listening skills. Responses to these videos will support the improvement of speaking skills. 

Task 1: Content and presentation styles of product reviews

Purpose: Students analyse product reviews for content and style. 

Background: Students may decide to record a product review as their final assignment. In the videos covered today, students will have exposure to product review videos and make decisions about what makes a good product review. 

Procedure: 

  • Elicit from students what they know about product videos:  

- where they find them, how product reviews are presented,  

- what they might expect to see in a product review video,  

- how much detail they expect,  

- whether they want facts and evidence or if opinions are sufficient. 

  • Working alone, students work through tasks 1 and 2 in Task 1 handout. 

  • Give students sufficient time to watch all three videos before putting them into groups for tasks 3 and 4. 

  • Put students into small groups to discuss Task 3 - their responses to the videos. 

  • Working alone again, students find a video review and analyse its content: the details and the number of facts/opinions. 

  • Back in groups, students share their chosen videos and their findings about its contents. 

Feedback: Deal with the feedback on each of the pairs of videos separately: 

Task 1: differences in time mean more detail, though the content coverage is similar. Students can give you specific details of the difference in content between the two and how the details are delivered by the reviewers. Students may argue that video 2 is more factual than video 1. 

Task 2: this video has only screenshots with a voice-over. The voice-over is computer generated, so there is less connection with the content.  

Tasks 3 and 4: Allow students to share their preferences about the video contents and what they found with their own videos. 

Material: Lesson 9 Task 1 handout 

Timing: 45 minutes 

Task 2: Video styles

Purpose: To discuss different styles of reviewing products.  

Background: Reviews may be presented as videos using different styles. There are also differences in the quality of the production: compare professional channellers, informal reviews, and advertisements by distributors. 

Procedure:  

  • Give students Task 2 handout. 

  • Working alone, students work through Tasks 1 and 2. Allow sufficient time for students to watch the 5 videos. 

  • Students move back into their groups to discuss Task 3.  

Feedback: Discuss the students’ responses to each of the tasks separately. 

Task 1: These videos review whiteboard pens. One has a talking head, another shows only the product itself. Both are detailed in the content, but the style of delivery differs. Allow students to give their opinions on the difference. 

Task 2: These videos use voice-overs or music. The first of the videos is a advertisement by a distributor for pens in New Zealand, and the third is a tourist propaganda video for Cambodia. Allow students to express their views on these. Ask students if there are other styles for product videos. 

Task 3: Allow students to share their views on these questions. The teacher can also offer her/his own opinion and preference. 

Material: Lesson 9 Task 2 handout 

Timing: 30+ minutes 

Task 3: Organization 

Purpose: To identify how reviews organize their content. 

Background: There are two elements relevant to organization: how the content of the review is delivered, and the number of products reviewed in a single review. 

Procedure:  

  • Follow the same procedure as above. These three videos are reviews of speakers. The first is a detailed review of one speaker, the second is a comparison between the new model and its predecessor, and the third compares two competing speakers. 

Feedback: Allow students to share their opinions on how reviews might be best organized for the viewer.  

Material: Lesson 9 Task 3 handout 

Timing: 30 minutes 

Task 4: (optional) Product review quality

Purpose: Students decide on what they consider to be a good product review. 

Background: Students use their decisions about content, style and organization to choose a video they like. 

Procedure:  

  • Working alone, students work through the questions in Task 4 handout. Allow for sufficient time for them to watch all 4 videos.  

  • These videos have very similar content, but differ in organization and style. Students can discuss their responses to Task 1, focusing on their criteria for preferring one video over the others. 

  • Let students move to task 2 and 3 in their groups. 

Feedback: The students’ preferences for videos in Task 1 are personal. Allow them to give any reasons why they prefer one over the others. For Task 2, the number of views may be a consideration in popularity, but possibly not the quality of a review. For Task 3, let students share what they have found in comparing video and text reviews. Allow them to express their opinion on which is more useful. 

Material: Lesson 9 Task 4 handout 

Timing: 45 minutes. 

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